COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From My Seat: Bolton (h)

Boxing Day bliss in the end. A game that saw Bolton open up very quickly and they went for us with the intention of getting something early to hang on to and, with their no-nonsense tactics, not a bad idea.

After about fifteen minutes, they realised they didn't have the where-with-all to hurt us and they parked the bus. This led to quite a lacklustre first half with the Blues probing Euro-style and Bolton closing the gaps as they appeared.

Apart from a couple of long range efforts that were deflected, we had to wait until the end of the half to get the ball in the net and that was ruled out for offside. The half was best summed up by the fact that, despite a sellout crowd, the voices of the players and managers could be heard.

I think the manager's half-time talk was short and to the point:- Up the tempo! This was evident in the first thirty seconds with Cahill having clear sight of goal only to be denied by the alert keeper and then Lescott failing to get the necessary purchase from a yard out. We were moving the ball quicker now and the second half was much more watchable with some excellent pass and move that suggested a goal was coming and when it did it was via a comical route.

Neville got the ball out wide and turned onto his left side to deliver a routine cross into the box that saw Cahill make a trademark jumping challange that was anticipated by both keeper and defender and the result was quite a clatter of bodies, the ball paid no heed to this action and carried on along an unerring path into the net. The disbelief and delight on Neville's face was a picture.

Bolton now had to come out more and I was pleased to see that there was a gulf in class evident that saw us look like artisans against their raw approach. A second would seal it, I thought, and so it came by another unusual route at Goodison. A ref (who had a good game) was in the wide awake club and played a good advantage after a clumsy challenge had grounded Gravesen. Bolton stopped expecting the whistle; Lescott didn't and found Cahill with a precise cut-back; the net bulged, the corner flag was attacked... 2-0 ? game over!!!

Bolton tried to rally but it was all predictable stuff that our rearguard had little to worry them except by their own doing. A flap by Howard and almost another moment of madness from the otherwise excellent Pienaar when his back-pass was as dangerous as anything Bolton had managed. Perhaps the manager should consider taking him off with 4 to go as that is when he seems at his most dangerous in our box...

To my eye,this was a routine home win against a team not in our class whilst completing the double; it's a long time since we could say that against Bolton.

Picking a Man of the Match is getting more difficult these days with so many good performances; Jags, Yobo, Carsley, Cahill, Arteta... I could go on ? all did well but I thought Lescott had that touch of class that set him apart and I am sure that won't have been missed by the rich and famous.

At our post-match get-together, we opined on how difficult it is sometimes to realise just what a good team we look after so many years of bemoanment. Arsenal next and quite a different challenge but one we can go into with a confidence not felt for some years. Still, as someone who always wants more, could we just pull a rabbit out of the mid-field hat as the January window creaks open? UP THE BLUES!

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